MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[4705] that remained of the canopy of my umbrella was a few flitters of silk
fluttering from the stays and on the other I could have gone on, very
slowly, using the umbrella no longer as a support, but as a shelter.
[4706] But I was so accustomed, on the one hand to the perfect watertightness
of my expensive umbrella, and on the other hand to being unable to walk
without its support, that the dilemma remained entire, for me.

[4707] I could
of course have made myself a stick, out of a branch, and gone on, in
spite of the rain, the snow, the hail, leaning on the stick and the
umbrella open above me.

[4708] But I did not, I do not know why. [4709] But when
the rain descended, and the other things that descend upon us from the ^above,
[₰]sky, sometimes I pushed on, leaning on the umbrella, getting drenched,
but most often I stopped dead, opened the umbrella above me and waited
for it to be over. [4710] Then I got equally drenched. [4711] But this was not the
point.

[4712] And if it had suddenly begun to rain manna I would have waited,
stock still, under my umbrella,for it to be over, before taking advantage
of it. [4713] And when my arm was weary of holding up the umbrella, then I gave
it to the other hand. [4714] And with my free hand I slapped and rubbed every
part of my body within its reach, in order to keep the blood running ^trickling
freely, or I drew it over my face, in a gesture that was characteristic,
of me.

[4715] And the long spike of my umbrella was like a finger. [4716] My best
thoughts came to me during these halts. [4717] But when it was clear that the
rain, etc., would not stop all day, or all night, then I did the sensible
thing and built myself a proper shelter. [4718] But I did not like proper shelters,
made of boughs, any more.

[4719] For soon there were no more leaves, but only
the needles of certain conifers. [4720] But this was not the real reason why I
did not like proper shelters any more, no. [4721] But when I was inside them
I could think of nothing but my son's raincoat, I literally saw it, I
saw nothing else, it filled all space. [4722] It was in reality what our English